January 9: Great Weekend - Productive!

KUDOS for my husband! I had help from Kevin, the cutting elf, this weekend. He cut up all the plaids and stripes I am using for my brother's 60th birthday quilt. I know my brother does not read my blog, but I try to keep things a surprise. His birthday is in May, but I need to have it quilted by the end of February since my HQ is going back to South Dakota and into storage in early March. Might offer a peek later, but for now, just wanted to share that my husband has once again shown that he is one terrific guy!

I was very busy sewing, quilting and cutting this weekend, too. Anna's 1/2 birthday is on Saturday, so I have to get my box mailed by Wednesday at the latest, but based on what I have accomplished, I think it will be going out tomorrow morning. Her parents helped her shop for Dora and Princess fabrics. I received a large quantity of fabric, so I decided that I needed to make more than one quilt. Anna loves a textured one I made for her brother, so that was one of the items on my list. I used a small amount of blue Dora and Princess fabrics along with the flannel backed satin to make her a little 36 x 36 drag-around quilt. Then I made 2 pillowcases out of the pink Dora and the purple Princesses. The larger quilt I am binding at the moment has Dora on one side and Princesses on the other and is done with brights. The binding is the pink flannel backed satin I used on her last quilt. (I will share a photo of the finished quilt either later today or tomorrow morning. GUESS WHAT I AM DOING FOR THE REST OF THE DAY? b-i-n-d-i-n-g

December 6: 1/2 Done

Still not the best photo, but I will get a good one when I have both sides finished.  Just wanted to show that I followed through and finished the top today.  The other half is currently being cut out.  In the end, I am hoping to have a two or 2 1/2 in border on this side, but there will be a bigger border on the other.  I had to adjust measurements to fit both sides.  

January 6: Anna's Quilt Progress

The layout is of the princess side of the quilt.  It is not well focused but then you don't have to squint.  Later when it is all joined together I will get a clear shot.  The fabrics Anna personally chose are the border and the princesses.  I will get it together this morning and start on the the other side.  My goal is to have it in the mail by mid-week.  The other side has a large border as well but will be cut to the size I need to make it the top of the quilt.  Back to the studio where I am having a great time playing with this fabric challenge.

*** We went to Steve and Amanda's for a very delicious pasta dinner last night.  I am definitely going to ask for the recipe!  I took a tossed salad with cherry cranberries and pecans and a cranberry vinaigrette dressing.  That was delightful as well - never had tried that combination before. 

January 5: Focused on MY PLAN and Working in the Studio

After listing all the projects I have and deciding on what I want to complete or recycle back into my stash and deciding what will come first, I got up this morning ready, willing and focused.  I spent the morning working on bindings for my quilting list which means that I did alots of  short seams and great deal of ironing.  I followed that up with putting the quilting projects in order, and then immediately decided that I would do the beige backgrounds first because I have beige thread already in the machine.  Still, the list is organized and I know where I am headed.

Anna's picks

This afternoon I will be spending most of the time cutting and piecing square-in-square blocks for the princess side of Anna's 2-sided quilt. The first photo represents the fabrics that my precious 1 1/2 year old granddaughter picked out by herself for her two-sided quilt when her parents took her to the fabric store. The brights in the next photo are what I picked out as strong candidates to make this quilt come together.  

Candidates for pulling it all together

For the next month or two, I feel like I have a plan and a focus, but know that I will probably allow myself to deviate a little.  That is the creative side of playing with fabric, and I accept it!!!!

January 4: A Little Bit of Planning - Let the Fun Begin

I really did work hard in my studio today.  I went through everything and decided to list all the specific projects that I have either started or have bought fabric to do.  I also added in the embroidered blocks that Dad has made.  I wrote all of them on paper and had Kevin draw them out, one at a time.  I am going to focus on the first 5, and then try the next 5. 

All of these need to be pieced and quilted, except the jammies:

1. Anna's Quilt - Anna is 1 1/2 and selected the main fabrics.  I really had to think about this, but I have what I need.
2. American Valor Quilt for Kevin - He bought it in South Dakota this summer.
3. 2 pairs of pajama bottoms - pattern says 1 hour per pair.  I will let you know.
4. Amanda & Kyle's Wedding Quilt - have a pattern but no fabric or colors chosen yet
5. Aqua Snowmen quilt - Dad's embroidered blocks

My other list has items that simply need to be quilted and bound:
1. Blue table runners
2. Very Hungry Series Quilt
3. Blue and White Quilt of Valor
4. Christmas table runners and Twister lap quilt
5. A - Z redwork quilt

I would like to say I am not going to buy any fabric this year, but I already did in order to make my sweet little Anna her two-side Dora/Princesses quilt.  However for the next month I will be too busy to go shopping, unless Amanda finally comes up with colors.

January 4: Quilting, Sorting, Planning, Cleaning, and Carving

Somehow that is not the order I am following, but I am having a good time doing it the "dinker's way."  I just finished reading all the blogs that I follow and am so impressed with all of the quilters' accomplishments and my daughter's goal to get truly organized.  I still am contemplating how I am going to move forward with my new found hobbies while fitting everything else in.  Therefore, acknowledging to my world that I am a first class dinker should help others understand that all things will be finished, but in dinker time rather than in Type A time.

Yesterday, I thought I was going to really work up a sweat taking care of cleaning, planning, cutting and bagging quilt kits for myself.  I did a little then walked by the carving table and remembered that one of my other goals for the week was to finish my little heart design.  I walked back to the studio, turned off the iron and lights, and then spent 2 very satisfying hours carving.  I am not done, but I am getting so close.

When I finished, I did go back to the studio and do some more with putting Anna's quilt pieces together, but cleaning, etc did not happen.  Dinkers can easily fill any amount of time given, but not necessarily with super productive work in minimum amounts of time.  We like the process and love to ruminate on what we are doing.

Let me explain something else about me. I can and do truly know how to focus and quickly complete things.  I am more than capable of finishing any task that must be done in a certain time frame whether it is making a quilt, cleaning, laundry, running errands, showering or paying bills.  I just don't feel that I am pressured to work against the clock and mount up evidence of my accomplishments every day.  Fortunately, my husband accepts me for who I am.  He knows to stay out of the way when I have a focused task, but he is never critical if I do not appear to have made any huge accomplishments some days because he knows that the next day will show the evidence.

January 3: Already flying by - 3 days into it!

I do think I was a bit surprised that it is already Jan. 3, but then Kevin has been on vacation and that means I have been, too.  Today we are sort of back to normal, if we have one!  Kevin is up at school for the day doing some odd jobs with Blake and working on a blanket/quilt chest for me.  I am trying to catch up on the blog, do some sewing, and finish my ritual studio cleaning.  Figure that I am giving myself the week to make the studio right, but being the "dinker's daughter" it could easily take much longer.  I have to touch everything and that leads to considering how I might use it or what I should do to make it more special, or ....or ...or (You get the idea.)

 On New Year's Eve we purchased some PVC joints, 2 l-brackets, and a few small pine boards.  Then Kevin did his magic and created a tool holder for my carving bench.  We also purchased a small wet/dry vacuum to attach to the table and help with the clean up.  My Dremel and our safety glasses are also hanging on the pole.  After he finished, I tried to get a few good shots before the bench became a finishing table for our next project.  (With so much light coming in the window it was a challenge.)

I did the tops, or at least several coats.

Kevin was in charge of the bases.

New Year's Day was set aside for finishing the Shaker hall tables that we made during a 4-day workshop at the Vermont Woodworking School in November. It is not as if we have had a huge schedule, but we did do some traveling and playing during the past few weeks, so we had to buckle down and commit to finishing at least one project during school vacation. We used Vermont Natural Coatings Poly Whey to finish the tables. It has little or no smell and could be used without ventilating the apartment. It was the first time we used the product and found that it had pros and cons. It is water based, little smell, and easy clean-up, but we felt that we were not as well versed in how to use it. Lots of sanding was involved to get the finish the way we wanted, but that could easily have been the users. I am going to use it on some of my wood carvings, but I think Kevin is going to have to learn more before he uses it on his furniture again. That being said, the finish feels so smooth and luscious.

My table with the tap hole maple top

The clear finish really drew out the
richness of the top.

Kevin's table is already back in use displaying a few items
made at school and one of my new candle mats.

Kevin's maple top is gorgeous!

 The metal roof created a new phenomenon for us.  As the rain helped to melt the snow on the roof it came down in sections, divided by the runners on the roof.  Then with the help of the wind, the sections curled and somehow the icicle attached themselves to the side of the house.  Love oddities!

Somehow, Kevin smacked his 4th toe on the bed frame wheel, so we have not been walking our path.  The toe is a glorious purple,as well as, rather tender. Hopefully it will be back to normal soon so we can continue or daily snow walks. The snow melted with all the rain, but we already have more on the ground this morning.

Yesterday, mainly because Kevin was out of commission for much but sitting, reading, and watching a movie, I finally took the time to sort through all the magazine pages I had taken from my quilting magazines and online articles I had printed out about quilting.  It was a great way to reflect on what i had done, what I want to do, and get more organized, as well.  I was also trying to figure out the best plan for using all of my grandaughter Anna's fabric choices in a two sided quilt.  I came up with a plan and even made a few blocks.  However, I am going to have to by 2 yards of fabric to complete the side that will be done using the Acadia pattern.  Therefore, I will do the other side first and pick up the other fabric when we go grocery shopping.  Joann's is next door.  (Another goal for 2012 is to cut down on the errands and spend as little time as possible oggling fabric.  I am going to use up stash to the best of my ability!!!!!)
Enjoy your day.  I am off to take care of the laundry and then to the studio.  I know I am going to have a delighfully fabric filled day!